Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1887-06-09
OUT OF THE WOODS.
"Thou Art Not Alone II Thou
Hast Faith"

"Alone IN the worldr' These Rre
the words that we can imagine might
belong TO an old, old man. who had
outlived all the darlings of his youth
and the companions of declining
years Yet IL was young girl who
said them-and this on one Of the
loveliest spring mornings that ever
dawned upon the beautiful valleys and
hills OF romantic l.
She was sitting 10 the library of an
isolated country h, Sc, beside a writ
ing-desk covered with papers. But
she was not reading. Her head was
leaning upon her hand. her face was
pale, her eyclids swollen as with long
weeping. and she sighed deeply. as she
said aloud, in the despair of desola-
ton: "Alone in the worldr'
Instantly, as II her heart had anti
phonal voices, and one spoke in an
swer to the other, this sentence spranp
from memory: "Thou art not alone
II thou hast faith" Whose these
words of wisdom were, or whether
they were wise, she did not pause 10
consider She was too miserable for
wisdom.
Thou art not alone IL thou hast
faith"
She lifted herself from her drooping
posture. and, going TO the window,
threw the sash up wide, and gazed out.
A smooth lawn, dotted with larcbes
and clumps of Of arborvitr; beyond, a
hedge of some deciduous plant, vivid
green in spring foliage; ravine. ris-
ing abruptly on the opposite side into
steep hill, itself one of many hills
rolling like firm pillows into the dis
tance--first green with foliage, then
blue with mist and last, AMETHYST
with far-off reflected sunlight; above
all, the sky Of morning and the sky of
May. just reaching June. which in
reality is spring In this northern lati-
tude.
Birds sprang mp suddenly from the
lawn. and flew of together westward.
'Where are they goingP" pondered
Amy Leigh. "Wbo guides themp
Who cares for them? They are NOT
alone as aIn; they have their own
simple cOmpanionship. They have
flown towards the Maple Woods. /
will follow them"
She went out into the open air-so
mild the morning was, she needed
no wrap-and took with her her little
knitting-case, thinking;
81 will sit under the trees. aud knit
awhile, and listen TO the birls singing;
and perhaps shall become more calm
TO make my plans for tomorrow
tomorrow l must go away, some
where
Across a narrow bridge. direct from
the lawn, began the wood-palh that
led under the naples, aud those
maples!--they were 80 grand, and
covered space So extensive, that they
had given the name TO a long stretch
of farm lands lying beyond.
Instead Of sitting under the trees TO
knit Amy wandered along the path,
soolhed aud comforted by the delicious
air, the freshness Of the growing green
things aud the songs of the birds, who
were building nests with all the zest
Of young housekcepers.
There were wild yiolets growing un-
der tho trees, and they beguiled her
from the path. and she pushed farther
aud farther into the depths Of the
woods, the deep solitude answering al
most like companionship her own
mood, and, without It's sorrow. too,
gently consoling.
Wandering far IN the pathless place,
she a. last struck a wood-road again,
aud. after resting for :cw moments
beside merry little brook that touched
the path, and then turned aud darted
on into the green maze, she began. as
abe thought, 20 rciraee her steps. bur,
having followed this road al long dis
lance, until she was faint with fatigue.
she came 70 . sudden halt. with the ex-
clametlon'
~ have lost my wayr'
She leaned against ono Of the old
trees, and Tried " reason In what d.